Christmas Reading Plan – Week 2 – Day 1

Check out all the previous Christmas readings here.

Christmas Reading Plan | Week 2 | Day 1

Prayer

As you come to spend time with Jesus, calm your mind and body until you feel fully present. Thank Jesus that He came at Christmas, and ask Him to remind you of the wonder of it today.

Bible Reading: Isaiah 53:4-12

Read these verses three times slowly.

Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.
But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.
We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,
and as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
By oppression and judgment he was taken away.
Yet who of his generation protested?
For he was cut off from the land of the living;
for the transgression of my people he was punished.
He was assigned a grave with the wicked,
and with the rich in his death,
though he had done no violence,
nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,
and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin,
he will see his offspring and prolong his days,
and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.
After he has suffered,
he will see the light of life and be satisfied;
by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,
and he will bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,
and he will divide the spoils with the strong,
because he poured out his life unto death,
and was numbered with the transgressors.
For he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.

Reflection & Questions

With our Bible reading plan throughout December, we are reminding ourselves of the wonder of Christmas. The wonder of Christmas is remembering the whole reason that Jesus came. He left his throne in heaven, to become human, to rescue us that we might be with Him forever.

That is what this prophecy of Jesus’ coming from Isaiah 53 reminds us. Amazingly, these words written hundreds of years before Jesus came predicted exactly what would happen to Jesus. Isaiah writes, “he was pierced for our transgressions” and “after he had suffered he will see the light of life and be satisfied.” These verses so clearly point to Jesus, that in some Jewish circles, they’ve lobbied to remove this chapter from their scriptures, because they deny that Jesus is the Messiah.

Why did he die and rise again? Isaiah prophesied: “he was crushed for our iniquities (sin), the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” and “my righteous servant will justify man, and he will bear their iniquities (sin).”

Jesus came to bring us peace, healing and to justify us. We didn’t deserve it. What did we offer to our salvation? Our sin. What did Jesus offer? Everything. He left his throne. Took on flesh. Lived as one despised. Died in the most shameful painful way. But he did it so that you might be with Him forever.

1. What words or phrases from Isaiah 53 strike you today? Why?
2. As you think about your Christmas and reconnecting with loved ones, maybe there is forgiveness you need to offer. Ask Jesus to give you the strength and wisdom to do that.

Prayer

Pray in response to today’s reading.

Worship Song

You might use this song today to worship Jesus today:

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Check out more Bible Reading Plans here.

Questions?